Family Court Motions and Hearings in Putnam County, Florida

Putnam County has no separate family law page of its own. Unlike Flagler and St. Johns, both in the same Seventh Judicial Circuit, Putnam sends filers to the circuit's shared Family Court Services page for forms and instructions. File your paperwork at the Putnam County Courthouse, 410 St. Johns Ave., Rm. 126, in Palatka. A family motion currently costs $408.

Setting a hearing anywhere in the Seventh Circuit, including Putnam, follows the same steps. Call the assigned judge's judicial assistant, explain what the hearing is for, and get a date and time. Prepare a Notice of Hearing on statewide Form 12.923, file it with the Family Law Clerk's Office, and mail a copy to the other party. For a final hearing, bring three copies of the final judgment, filled out except for the judge's signature and date, plus two stamped, pre-addressed envelopes.

A Seventh Circuit General Magistrate may hear Putnam cases involving temporary or post-judgment domestic relations matters under Rule 12.490. A Child Support Enforcement Hearing Officer handles support issues under Rule 12.491.

If the parties' combined income is under $100,000, a contested case can go to the circuit's Family Mediation Program under Administrative Order FM-2012-027-SC. Above that threshold, the case goes to a certified private mediator instead. Putnam accepts filings through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal at myflcourtaccess.com.

Where hearings are held in Putnam County, FL

Family court hearings in Putnam County, FL are held at the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Putnam County, with the county seat in Palatka. Because courtroom assignments, remote appearance options, and local procedures change over time, use the Florida court clerk directory to confirm current details:

Find the Putnam County, FL Clerk of Court (Florida court clerk directory)

How a family court hearing works in Florida

In Florida, a party who wants the court to decide something while a family case is pending, such as temporary time-sharing, temporary support, or exclusive use of the home, files a written motion under the Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure. Motions for temporary financial relief generally require a current Financial Affidavit (Florida Supreme Court approved family law form 12.902(b) or 12.902(c)). The core steps are:

1. File a written motion stating the relief you are asking for, with a current Financial Affidavit if money or support is at issue.
2. Serve the motion on the other party or their attorney.
3. Coordinate a hearing date, following your circuit's local procedure for setting family law motions (some circuits use a uniform motion calendar; others require you to contact the judicial assistant).
4. Attend mediation first if your circuit requires it for contested family law motions.
5. Attend the hearing and receive the court's order.

Local notes for Putnam County, FL

Putnam routes directly to the circuit's shared Family Court Services page. Use that page as your main source for the Notice of Hearing process, Parenting Course Providers, and Timesharing Guidelines. Don't search Putnam's own clerk site for county-specific versions; they may not exist.

Follow the circuit's hearing-setting steps in order. Skipping the judicial assistant call, or failing to mail the other party a copy of the Notice of Hearing, can delay your case even if the rest of your paperwork is complete. Treat every step as required, not optional.

Check your combined income against the $100,000 threshold before assuming the circuit's Family Mediation Program applies to you instead of a private mediator. Administrative Order FM-2012-027-SC sets that line. Ask the Clerk's office if you're unsure.

Official hearing resources in Putnam County, FL

Putnam County Courthouse handles hearings filings, located at 410 St. Johns Ave., Rm. 126, Palatka 32177.

The filing fee is $408. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, statewide for the Seventh Judicial Circuit.

Seventh Circuit Family Court Services (https://circuit7.org/family-court-services/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Putnam routes filers to the Seventh Circuit's shared Family Court Services page rather than hosting its own separate family law page, unlike Flagler and St. Johns.

• Putnam County Clerk of the Circuit Court
• Family Court Services, Seventh Judicial Circuit
• Administrative Orders, Seventh Judicial Circuit
• Florida Courts E-Filing Portal

Local details reviewed August 2026. Offices and locations can change, so confirm with the official sites above before you file.

Putnam County, FL Family Court Hearing FAQs